Local News

Linda Epple the heart of drama at Tiger Den Theatre

Decades of work helps teens

By Dan Barker

Times News Editor

Posted:
12/19/2013 10:11:04 AM MST

Drama teacher and Tiger Den Theatre Director Linda Epple watches her cast during the dress rehearsal of the recent Wiggins High School play "Yearbook Reflections." She has been the director of the plays for many years. (Dan Barker / Fort Morgan Times)

The cast of "Yearbook Reflections" performs a musical number. This was the latest production Linda Epple has overseen. (Dan Barker / Fort Morgan Times)

Linda Epple has been at the heart of the Tiger Den Theatre and other productions for decades.

Perhaps it is because her mother was a drama teacher, too.

During her time, she has produced more than 60 plays and musicals - most at Wiggins High School, Epple said during the latest production, the musical "Yearbook Reflections."

Drama can be an important experience for young people, she reflected. They learn a sense of confidence in front of people.

She knows that personally. She was a shy girl in junior high school, but her participation in plays and forensics opened her up and gave her confidence.

"It really helped me a lot," Epple said.

And over the years she's seen that happen over and over with the actors and actresses she's shepherded.

Epple helped put on productions even before she had a full-time job as a teacher. She directed plays at Weld Central High School and in Brush before coming to Wiggins.

She studied drama and art at Adams State College, and brought that knowledge to her work when she moved to Wiggins in 1994.

"They naturally thought I'd do plays," Epple noted.

Of course, Epple cannot do it alone. Plays require the work of many people, and she is the first to say that.

For instance, with the production of "Yearbook Reflections," she knew she was not a music teacher, so she reached out to WHS music teacher Jeff Everett, and had the help of Michael Saulmon on the piano.

And she has had the help of assistant director Linda Baltazar for many productions over the past 10 to 12 years, and the help of many others for the various things that need to be done.

Much of the success of the drama program has been due to the talent and dedication of the students, Epple said.

"It's a wonderful thing for them," she said.

Since teens today are involved in all kinds of activities, including clubs, sports and community service, for them to work as hard as they do for eight weeks at a time is "amazing," Epple said.

"They're working their hearts out," she said.

This shows courage and a substantial work ethic, because they often have to run from one activity to another, with no excuses about how busy they are, Epple noted.